Boeing F-15I Ra' am
The F-15l Ra' am 'is an Israeli modification of the F-15E Strike Eagle. Description Often defined too quickly as "a Jewish F-15E", actually this aircraft is more than one version of the Strike Eagle in the service of Israeli military aviation needs Its origins date back to 1991, when during Operation Desert Storm Iraqi troops launched 40 surface-surface missiles "Al-Hussein (extended range version of the Soviet R-17E "Scud-B") against Israeli territory. Soon after the then- Air Force study of the Israel Defense Forces re-designated in 2005 as Israel's Aerospace Force - have demonstrated that the F-15B/D " Baz "would be able to intercept such threats only if its radar AN/APG-63 was adapted to detect a target accelerating vertically, also necessitating a longer-range weapon that the GBU-15 glide bomb, the only precision projectile then available to those aircraft.'' The latter claim was true when the "Baz" were integrated in 1993 when Rafael Popeye missile, with 90 km range, and plus six F-15B shortly after, they were part of "Peace Fox V" in real terms an program to "thank" for Israel has not retaliated to attacks in Iraq, thus undermining the Arab contribution to the coalition against Saddam Hussein. Although even more capable against ground targets, aircraft converted lacked the power to destroy the missiles as "Scud" shortly after launch, still in 1993 caused the issuance of a technical requirement for the provision of a multifunctional fighter missions in any time long-range , empowered , among other functions, for such attacks, and in sufficient quantity to equip two squadrons (50 aircraft). The Lockheed Martin F-16 and the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D were proposed, but discarded due to insufficient power, with the F-15E (operational in the USAF since 1988) is openly declared as the ideal platform, although not yet approved for export. Its predecessor, the F-111 Aardvark was considered for filling the gap, but their inability to attack in any weather condition, to defend himself as the Strike Eagle aircraft from other, outdated technology avionics mission as well as its maintenance also eliminated the "Vark". That same year Saudi Arabia bought 72 copies of the F-15XP, (later designated F-15S, a version with less powerful equipment mission than the F-15E) and the Israeli government signed with the Palestine Liberation Organization to the Oslo Agreement, with both events perceived as threats to Israel's military power. The result was acquired in May next year's 25 F-15I (I for Israel) with some resources being initially released for Blackhawk helicopters. The first flight occurred in September 1997, exactly two years after all the aircraft were delivered to the only operating unit of the type, the Squadron 69 "Ha'Pat shin "(Hammer), activated in July 1948 shortly after the independence of the Jewish State, three flying B-17 bombers, and now based in Hatzerim . During January 1999, the F-15I, known as "Ra' am"(Thunder), had its baptism of fire in southern Lebanon, and five months later the commander of the squadron destroyed two bridges over the Litany and Awali rivers using four 907 kg laser-guided bombs in a nighttime mission with the target partially covered by clouds, demonstrating the range and accuracy of the new vector. More recently, in September 2007, the Ra'am was used to destroy what has been identified as a Syrian nuclear facility in Deir Ez-Zor, Operation Orchard. Avionics As with the F-15S, the "Ra'am" has its main sensor in a version of something potentially reduced radar AN/APG-70 called AN/APG-70I, this is a common practice when selling industrial powers their products warfare. Even if you do not have ways of "Attack/Electronic Harassment "or the ability to "Non-Cooperative Target Recognition "as the Strike Eagle, the device installed in the F-15I is integrated modules for less than the AN/APG-63 aboard the "Baz", having memory ten times , turned up five times faster than the same machines. Acting in the band I/J, cover an angle of 120 degrees ahead of the aircraft, operating in 15 air-air modes and four air-surface. Among the early highlights are the " Vertical Scan , which detects any target to at least 150 meters of altitude and distance up to 18.5km which is situated in an area of 7.5 degrees horizontal and 5/55 degrees vertical, the "Super Search" that detects the first target with the same parameters as altitude/distance to penetrate a circle of 20 degree opening designed the HUD and screening-to-scan, while 10 can detect targets at the same time, although it can only attack one target at a time, with a minimum speed of 84 km/h with the maximum range against air targets being 185km. Already against terrestrial targets , there is the mode of " Real Map " which could cover an area up to 148 km apart within which there is the possibility of being activated mode "High-Resolution Map" with up to 74 km2 area, if the aircraft is flying at 330 meters (the highest resolution , 2.6 m, is obtained at a distance of up to 37 km of this zone, where vehicles can be identified), and "Target Land Mobile," capable of detecting, for example, Trucks and armored vehicles up to 59 km. The air-surface operating modes according to the functional principles of Synthetic Aperture immune to clouds smoke and snow. The F-15I is equipped with four radios U/VHF Israeli origin, and the Integrated Electronic Warfare SPS -2110 (capable, among other things, to warn an approaching missile) and Electronic Warfare System SPS -3000, systems that replaced the Americans. There is also the datalink Rafael and Collection System and Data Transfer RADA, which resembles a data cartridge with the parameters of the missions. The aircraft is integrated with LANTIRN and Litening pods. Altogether there are about 16 computers managing all systems, whose data are shown in three multifunction displays for the pilot (one color) and four for the navigator / weapons operator (two colored). Altogether there are 27 possible viewing options on such displays, including satellite images. For night missions, the crew of "Ra' am," stays in ACES II ejection seats, using night vision goggles "Journal", while daytime sorties to use the display DASH. Specifications *'''Cruising speed: 1000 km / h *'Maximum speed:' 2650 km / h *'Rate of Climb:' 15 240 m / min *'Power:' 0.87 *'Load factor:' 9 Gs *'Turnover rate:' 16.5 ° / s *'Reason rolling:' 240 ° / s *'Mileage / range:' 1270 km / 2540 km *'Radar range:' 160 km *'Buoyancy:' 2X Pratt & Whitney F100 PW 229 of 14,500 kgf of thrust. *'Length:' 19.45 m *'Wingspan:' 13.5 m *'Height:' 5.64 m *'Empty weight:' 20411 kg (empty) Armament *'Air-Air': AIM-120C Amraam, Missile AIM- 9L Sidewinder, Rafael Python IV missile. *'Air-Land :' JDAM bombs (all) Paveway bombs (all), Bombs GBU-28 and GBU-39 SDB, HARM missiles, Maverick missiles, AGM-84 Harpoon/SLAM, TSSAM missiles and AGM-142 Popeye. *'Internal:' 1x General Electric gun M61 6 20 pipes and 940 mm projectiles. See also *F-15 Eagle *F-15E Strike Eagle Category:Aircraft Category:Fighter Jets